Janette's Journal

I LOVE SNOW!!

I have been asked many times about adjusting to winter in the north - I found that amusing since I have spent more winters with snow than without.

 The adjustment has not been hard with the snows being so gorgeous and my indoor heat, warm house, heavy coat and other things that protect us from the elements.

  You may have heard some recent grumbling from my neighbors as many of us returned from school break to have a pretty substantial snow and school called off.  But to be honest - I loved it!  It was a warm, wet, snow that hung thick on the trees and was perfect for building snowmen and a snow fort.  Daddy even had the morning off to share these memories with the kids.

 It was a lovely white gift sent straight from heaven and I loved it!

 However, I do realize that not everyone feels (see Josiah's picture) as I do and I hope along with you that summer is here soon!

Good Friday Poem

Am I a stone, and not a sheep,

That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy cross,

To number drop by drop Thy Blood’s slow loss,

And yet not weep?

 

Not so those women loved

Who with exceeding grief lamented Thee;

Not so fallen Peter weeping bitterly;

Not so the thief was moved;

Not so the Sun and Moon

Which hid their faces in a starless sky,

A horror of great darkness at broad noon—

I, only I.

 

Yet give not o’er,

But seek Thy sheep, true Shepherd of the flock;

Greater than Moses, turn and look once more

And smite a rock.

                     by Christina Rosetti

Our first snowman

Even though we have seen lots of snow this winter, we have not had much opportunity to make a snowman since it has been very cold.  I like to play outside only when it is sunny and at least 40 degrees.  I am not much of a winter person but I do enjoy looking at it!

Attitude

Sent to me by a missionary friend...

Attitude was a woman who woke up one morning looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only 3 hairs on her head. Well, she said, I think I’ll braid my hair today. So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only 2 hairs on her head. Hmmm, she said, I think I’ll part my hair down the middle today. So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. Well, she said, Today I’m going to wear my hair in a pony tail. So she did and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she work up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn’t a single hair on her head. YEAH! She exclaimed, I don’t have to fix my hair today.

Attitude is everything.

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.

Sent to Golda McCracken by Miyeko Takaya, a lifelong friend she met at Chesbrough Seminary in 1944.

Somewhere else...

Josiah is becoming less baby and more boy.  He traumatizes his siblings with glee, prefers Sam's trucks to any of the girl's toys and his favorite pastime is to hurl objects across the room as hard and far as he can.  Not a problem if it is a Kleenex - but a big problem if it is a metal car and his brother's head is nearby. He delights us all with his few simple words - "cra-ca" (cracker), "mo" (more) and "bye."  He loves that one as he is happiest whenever he is leaving his present location.  It doesn't matter where he is - he will smile real big and start waving and walking to the door repeating his "bye" if he thinks he can go somewhere else.
   As I read through my journal entries from my last months in Mexico I realize I think I may have the "bye" syndrome also.  It will all get better if we can just get out of here and go there...wherever there is.  BUT then I get there and...I want to go back or go to a different place or just say "bye" and go on a retreat!  Yes - that is the answer  - a retreat sounds very spiritual and stuff.  I repeatedly heard before I left Mexico that true happiness is found when you learn to live here and now.  It was hard for me to accept then - it still is now.  But I am beginning to understand the wisdom of that statement.
 Lord, please help me to live here and now.  Amen